“NARUTO!”
“KIBA!”
The small boys greeted each other with exuberant glee as they both climbed up onto the stools of Ichiraku Ramen. Okuri lumbered behind them, still only half awake. He plunked down on the stool in front of the counter. “I’ll take-”
“SHIKAMARU!”
“Ah, Kiba.”
“CHOIJI!”
“NARUTO!”
2 more boys joined the group and they all began shouting their orders.
“PORK BONE!”
“SALT’N’PEPPER CHICKEN!”
“SPICY MIXED MEAT!”
“Whatever……”
Ayame served the little boys and they quickly got down to eating. Teuchi wiped his sweaty brow and turned to Okuri. “So, what’ll you be having, big fella?”
“Well, I was originally to have a bowl of honey garlic beef, but screw that. I want ten bowls of food now.”
“Ten bowls?”
“Yeah. 5 bowls of beef, 3 bowls of honey noodles, 2 bowls of garlic. Just mix it all into one large bowl.”
“WHAT?!?!!?” Teuchi shouted. “Are you nuts? There’s no way…..”
“Fine. I’ll get the rest of my food tickets….”
“No! It’s not that! There’s no way you could stomach all that in one sitting!”
“Then in that case, you underestimate me……..”
“Oh, really?” a voice behind them casually murmured. Okuri turned his head to see no less than Jitsu Akakaze*, a girl he had always been a little shy around. On this day she wore a pink dress that went from her shoulders to her knees, laced with purple silk. Because of her vanity, she did not wear her headband unless she was on a mission, which made her unusual for a kunoichi.
“How nice of you to drop by. You do know you didn’t…”
“Surprise you? As if.” The girl with long and exceptionally dark red hair said. She looked at what the other boys were eating and snorted with disgust. “How can you all stand that slop?”
“It’s not slop!” Naruto shouted defensively through an increasingly full mouth.
She turned back to the oldest one. “You’re gorging yourself right before the Chunnin Finals? Brilliant. You’re sure to come out on top stuffed like a plush doll.”
“Hey, at least he made it to the Chunnin Finals!” Kiba barked angrily.
“Oh, how cute. You’ve got a little attack dog for when you can’t think up a comeback yourself.”
Kiba scowled and turned back to his meal. Okuri brushed the comment off and returned his focus to something more important. “Look, I got more credits than this, I can run home and….”
“FOR CRYING OUTLOUD, I DON’T WANT TO WASTE IT!”
“I’ll pay double.”
Okuri glanced back at the girl with a look of confusion on his face.
“I’ll pay double.” She said again. “And if you can’t finish it, you’ll be paying me back TRIPLE.”
A devious grin spread across Okuri’s face. “Sounds good to me.”
Teuchi shook his head and prepared the order.
*Akakaze = Red Wind (Aka + Kaze = Akakaze)
